Looking at Something but Thinking of Someone

Green Pearl handed her a slip of paper. The scribbled handwriting on it, Bai Xianyu had seen many times.

"I'm fine. Don't tell anyone about what happened today."

Green Pearl looked around. "Don't worry, Miss."

…

At the Northern Garrison Marquis Manor.

Xiao Zheng drove the carriage and stopped in front of the residence.

After he realized that Xie Xingyun had disappeared, he only needed to think for a moment to know where he had gone. Hence, he also sneaked out of the residence.

Sure enough, he saw his Young Master eavesdropping with Number Two.

Number Two was a peregrine falcon that Young Master had picked up and raised. Young Master had raised it as his biological brother. It was fat and strong, more than twice the size of an ordinary peregrine falcon.

After he found out, Xie Xingyun came down from the tree and gave him an errand, which was to send Fifth Miss Bai's personal maidservant and coachman back to the General's Manor.

Xie Xingyun got off the carriage and went straight back to his courtyard.

Xiao Zheng did not know if he was thinking too much, but he felt that his young master's feelings for Fifth Miss Bai were inexplicable.

Before this, Young Master had never been close to women. He did not even have a female animal by his side. He had also always favored some ferocious birds. The more ferocious they were, the more he liked them.

But now, he had actually raised a delicate Flametail Fish in the pond in his courtyard.

Flametail Fish were known for being difficult to rear. The requirements for the water quality and environment were extremely harsh. The fish feed requirements were exacting to the very grain, or the fish would fall sick.

Could it be that he was thinking of her when looking at the fish?

Xiao Zheng was puzzled.

The Plum Blossom Banquet at the Northern Garrison Marquis Manor had come to an end.

After making arrangements for Bai Yu'er, Eldest Princess Jing An sent someone to invite Xie Xingyun, but even the guards were gone.

She was a little angry. Coupled with the fact that the banquet had become a joke, she did not look too good the entire time.

When the noble ladies saw this, they also tacitly bowed and left.

There was only Li Changning, who still wanted to stay overnight in the Northern Garrison Marquis Manor, but was rejected by Eldest Princess Jing An.

She did not mess around and returned to the palace.

It was night.

Eldest Princess Jing An sent someone to send Xie Xingyun a few pictures of the noble ladies and asked someone to pass on the message.

Xiao Zheng took them and skillfully placed them in the wastebasket at the side.

"Young Master, the Eldest Princess asked you to choose one of these noble ladies you like. They are all the daughters of officials who came today and have yet to be engaged."

In the inner room.

The man grunted.

Xie Xingyun was only wearing his inner clothes. His fingers were slender and slightly protruding. His middle finger was hooked onto a pomegranate-shaped silver silk pouch with crane patterns.

It was black-gold in color, luxurious and simple.

The workmanship was exquisite, and every part of it was just right. The only flaw was that the silver thread on the side of the pouch was loose. The smooth fabric had also been rubbed until some balls had formed, and there was even a tiny hole.

His gaze was still on the pouch, and his words were addressed to no one in particular. "You pecked it open."

Outside the window, a peregrine falcon was flapping its wings, bringing with it a gust of cold wind.

Xie Xingyun frowned. "Go back to your birdcage."

The little peregrine falcon did not seem to understand why its master, who was usually friendly to it, would suddenly lose his temper. It let out an aggrieved cry.

It spread its wings energetically, revealing its shriveled stomach, as if saying it was hungry.

Xie Xingyun ignored it.

The little peregrine falcon seemed to know that he was angry, so it obediently returned to the cage.

It even closed the iron door itself. It could be said that it was very obedient.

Xie Xingyun rubbed that piece with his thumb and searched carefully. He did not find she had sewn Lin Xingjian's name on it.

In the past, the pouch she gave him would have both their names sewn on it.

At that time, she did not make it so pretty…

In a split second.

Xie Xingyun suddenly sat up from the bed.